Current military doctrine relies on a limited number of high value assets to prosecute global events. The restriction to a one-man (or more) to one machine system severely impairs these finite forces' ability to overcome overwhelming hostile force numbers and/or engage several theatres of operation simultaneously. Additionally, a severe lack of commonality between the vehicles used by individual services of the armed forces has increased the cost of those platforms while restricting their interoperability between services and NATO allies.
The extremely complex and multiple part machinery used by the armed forces has several disadvantages. The initial cost to construct each unit is high. The follow-on cost to maintain each unit is also high due to the complexity of the systems in use. Additionally, highly complex machinery is more susceptible to damage and breakdown due to large numbers of moving parts, heavy reliance on software based computing systems for control and operation, and reliance on large numbers of highly trained maintenance personnel to maintain each vehicle.
For military use aircraft, either vertical takeoff/landing, or very short takeoff and landing aircraft are particularly complex and expensive systems both to procure and maintain. The advantage of short or vertical takeoff aircraft is a greatly reduced length for takeoff and/or landing strips, which enable broader use of the aircraft in areas lacking these facilities. This advantage is partially negated when one takes into account the susceptibility to damage of the system in unimproved areas and the relatively significant maintenance infrastructure the complex system requires.
It is therefore desirable to provide a modularly constructed aircraft to decrease the initial cost of each platform as well as to increase the number of and type of missions the aircraft can be modified to fly. It is also desirable to combine modular aircraft construction features with an aircraft having modularized and simplified vertical takeoff and landing propulsion devices.